GHC Health Programme Manager - Kenya / Gedo, Somalia (Merlin)

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GHC Health Programme Manager
Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin)
International health NGO
Closing date: 29 Jul 2009
Location: Kenya

Programme: Gedo Health Consortium (GHC)
Responsible To: Functionally: The Director, (GHC)
Technically: Merlin HQ Health Advisor
Responsible For: Clinical Services Coordinator, Public Health Coordinator, District Medical Officers
Location: Nairobi with possible visits to Gedo Region, Somalia
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Starting Date: ASAP
Salary & Benefits: £22,990 - £25,214 per annum dependant on relevant experience, an annual cost of living allowance of £5,566, insurance cover, accommodation and return flights.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.

Merlin International Profile

Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background

Merlin has been working in Somalia since 2004 with its first office opened in Garowe, the capital of Puntland State of Somalia. Since 2004, Merlin has been expanding and scaling up its programmes in Somalia. Merlin is operational in all three regions of Somalia currently implementing HIV/AIDS, TB, Early Warning and Response, Communicable Disease Control, and Primary Health Care programmes in Puntland State of Somalia; emergency health, nutrition, and WASH programme in El-Buur district of Galgadud region, and as a member of Gedo Health Consortium (GHC) Merlin is involved in technical support provision for the implementation of the GHC health programme in Gedo Region of Southern Somalia. Merlin is also a technical support provider to NGOs/partners and Ministries of Health implementing GFTAM malaria programme in all three regions of Somalia.

Gedo Health Consortium (GHC) is a consortium of two International NGOs (Merlin and Trocaire) implementing a regional community based health care programme in Gedo region of Southern Somalia. Targeting 220,000 people in five districts, the programme works in partnership with district health boards to increase access to basic health and nutrition services. A network of 3 district hospitals, 5 MCH/OPDs, 3 TB centres, 50 health posts and 5 district outreach programmes are supported with a focus on strengthening the quality of and access to services, building local capacity and ownership of the health services and trying to address some of the underlying problems of continuing poor health and nutrition in the community. The general goal of the mission is to address humanitarian and health crises within Somalia while increasing capacity of local structures to deliver effective and quality health care services.

Main purpose of the role

Health Programme Manager will be recruited through Merlin as the technical agency in the consortium, however s/he will be part of the GHC management team and report to the GHC Director with a technical reporting line to Merlin Health Advisor. S/he will also technically liaise with Merlin Somalia Country Health Director in Nairobi.

The postholder will be responsible for the technical management and coordination of the health programme in Gedo, supervising the Clinical Services Coordinator, Public Health Coordinator, and District Medical Officers. The post will provide strategic and technical leadership to ensure the effective development and implementation of quality health programmes in Gedo region, Southern Somalia.

Overall Objectives (scope)

- Provide leadership and direction to the GHC regional community based health care programme in Gedo region of Southern Somalia
- Contribute to the overall planning and strategic direction of the GHC program in Somalia as part of the program management team
- Represent GHC to national authorities, international donors, international organizations and other NGOs at the national level
- Ensure the effective implementation of GHC programming in line with approved programme proposals and budgets
- Managing and providing technical and capacity building support to the programme’s health staff;
- Monitoring and preparing narrative and financial reports for the GHC Director, Consortium’s Executive Committee, and donors.

Responsibilities

Programme Development and Management

- Monitor the health and humanitarian situation in the region and advise the GHC Director on appropriate course(s) of action.
- Develop and implement appropriate health care programme as a member of the GHC Management Team (MT).
- Manage and coordinate all aspects of the GHC health programme including supporting the planning, design, implementation and monitoring of activities and advising on medium to long-term strategy for the region.
- Oversee the network of 3 district hospitals, 5 MCH/OPDs, 3 TB centres, 50 health posts and 5 district outreach programmes).
- Oversee the planning, implementation, and monitoring of all health promotion, prevention and curative aspects of the programme as well as the development of protocols and guidelines.
- Worke closely with the senior GHC programme staff, ensure that adequate capacity building support is provided to the District Health Boards on all aspects of health service management, community mobilisation and preventive services, to ensure objectives are achieved and that an appropriate quality, functioning and accessible health service is maintained.
- In close collaboration with the GHC Director and other senior staff, make recommendations for project strategic direction and prioritisation, taking cognisance of current best practice on health/medical support for countries in chronic crisis, changing health needs and the capacity for local management of same.
- Responsible for the management and monitoring of relevant components of the programme budget.
- Liaising with GHC Programme Support Manager and logistic staff to ensure that adequate routine medical supplies and stocks for hospitals, outreach, health centres and health posts as well as ordering systems and inventory control are maintained.

Leadership

- Ensure that field concerns and issues are appropriately, adequately, and timely addressed within the overall strategy and support & guide field teams in meeting the objectives and priorities, providing leadership and direction
- Ensure the effective implementation and quality of programme, i.e. provide overall technical supervision for the GHC programmes in coordination with relevant health personnel
- Play an active role in the development and maintenance of a coherent programme strategy that contributes to GHC’s aims in collaboration with the operational field staff and technical teams
- Ensure effective communication and information exchange between the health team and GHC members
- Play a leading role in the creation of a shared vision among all staff of GHC programme staff and their role in achieving these
- Maintain constructive working relationships with all stakeholders

Monitoring and Evaluation

- Ensure GHC programmes are implemented according to GHC policy and recognized international and national standards
- Ensure realistic workplans are in place and implemented for all programmes
- Conduct regular visits to project sites for the purposes of project monitoring, quality control and strengthening of relationship between GHC field staff and other NGOs in the area
- Manage, track, monitor, and ensure compliance of contractual obligations of Gedo Regional Health Programme with donors and partners.
- Ensure the effective use of health data collection tools through training and support as well as the collation and sound epidemiological analysis of the health data collected to inform programme direction.
- Ensure correct documentation of successes, best practices, and lessons learned from the programme and dissemination to other Somalia actors and to the wider humanitarian and public health communities.

Representation

- Represent GHC in various coordination forums and ensure coherence of GHC strategy and priorities with that of the Health Sector for Somalia.
- Ensure effective advocacy/negotiation with the local authorities and communities for effective programme implementation.
- Advocate and negotiate with donors, UN and NGOs active in Somalia to improve collaboration and coherence of interventions.

Human Resources

- Directly manage the Clinical Services Coordinator, Public Health Coordinator, and District Medical Officers, and working closely with other GHC programme and support function staff
- Provide adequate and timely technical guidance, supervision, capacity building and management support to the Clinical Services Coordinator, Public Health Coordinator, and District Medical Officers.
- Support the Clinical Services Coordinator, Public Health Coordinator, and District Medical Officers, and ensure that capacity building support is planned and provided to all health workers. S/He will ensure that the right support is given in terms of identification of needs and existing competencies; development of curricula; coordination; supervision; facilitation support and; progress assessment.
- Play an active role in the recruitment of health staff in coordination with the GHC Director and HR department
- Support Health Coordinators in the recruitment of qualified health personnel in the GHC supported health facilities
- Ensure briefings, appraisals and debriefings of health staff
- Ensure that the Clinical Services Coordinator and Public Health Coordinator are mentoring, supporting, and encouraging health and nutrition staff to maximise use of skills and knowledge, and ensure their full, effective participation in health and nutrition activities.
- Supervise with the Regional Liaison Coordinator, promote and work with District Health Boards and a variety of community groups and CBOs to strengthen and encourage effective community access, participation and representation in all programme activities to promote local ownership and durability of programme gains, and effective linkages between all levels of services.

Security

- As a member of GHC Country Management Team play an active role in ensuring that security guidelines are implemented and followed up
- Ensure personal/team safety and compliance with security regulations
- Working with the Clinical Services and Public Health Coordinators and District Health Teams, set-up and role out emergency preparedness plans/SOPs, including emergency surveillance systems and pre-positioning of emergency supplies.
- Working closely with GHC crisis management team support monitoring and management of security and access issues and adapt programme strategies accordingly.

Reporting

- Ensure, in strong collaboration with the field and GHC MT that reports (external and internal) are of good quality and submitted in a timely manner
- Responsible for submission of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual public health reports for internal/external use, and for management and analysis of epidemiological data.

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

- Medical Doctor or Nurse with Masters Degree in Public Health.
- Substantial post qualification experience in managing public health services within developing countries
- Extensive overseas health project management experience including strategic planning, and, previous responsibility for health project management, particularly in conflict zone
- Experience working in the NGO sector in emergency and transitional/development settings
- Substantial experience of Primary Health Care, Epidemiology, Infectious Diseases e.g. malaria, HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health
- Experience in epidemiological data analysis, interpretation and qualitative/quantitative assessments and programme development
- Good knowledge and commitment to the principles of Community Based Health Care
and community development.
- Track record in innovative responses/planning for public health issues.
- Good management and personnel skills, with proven ability to manage people/ teams in insecure areas, to deliver on programme objectives, and ensure their sound participation in planning, implementation and monitoring
- Excellent team-worker with track record of working in a multicultural team with local
health workers/partners.
- Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
- Substantial experience in capacity development of health workers in low capacity environments.
- Ability to collate, manage and analyse epidemiological data, providing high quality
narrative and data reports
- Sound knowledge and experience of programme cycle management and budgeting.
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
- Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures and an ability to work well with local authorities and other humanitarian actors
- Successful experience of representation on national and local levels
- Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
- An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competences

- Previous work experience in Somalia and knowledge of the Somalia context
- Ability to be flexible towards developing treatment protocols and incorporate advice from the health team when developing the same
- Confident and proficient in HMIS and statistical package (Epi-Info, SPSS, STATA)
- Experience in managing budgets
How to apply
To apply for this position: Please download an application form from our website www.merlin.org.uk Completed form should be emailed to applications@merlin-uk.org stating in the subject field the job title, country and reference number (if any).

Reference Code: RW_7TGMF8-99
Source: ReliefWeb